Nurses' average compensation growth was relatively flat from 2013 to 2014, according to the 2014 AORN Salary and Compensation Survey. In 2013, nurses in facilities with 10 or more operating rooms earned an average of $80,000, while that number grew to just $80,700 in 2014.
The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses surveyed its members about their pay in June and July, drawing responses from 3,437 nurses for this year's survey.
The following is the 2014 average base compensation for seven nursing titles, broken down by facility size. The average compensation from last year's AORN salary survey for that title is noted in parentheses.
1. Staff nurse
Small facility (10 ORs or fewer): $65,800 ($65,300)
Large facility (more than 10 ORs): $69,100 ($68,700)
2. Hospital/facility administrator
Small facility: $104,600 ($104,400)
Large facility: too few samples
3. Director/vice president/assistant director of nursing
Small facility: $97,900 ($96,600)
Large facility: $130,200 ($132,200)
4. Nurse manager/supervisor/coordinator/team leader/business manager
Small facility: $80,300 ($78,600)
Large facility: $87,200 ($88,200)
5. Educator/staff development
Small facility: $79,900 ($79,300)
Large facility: $82,500 ($80,400)
6. Clinical nurse specialist (master's degree or higher)
Small facility: too few samples
Large facility: $85,800 ($87,400)
7. RN first assistant
Small facility: $74,300 ($71,000)
Large facility: $79,800 ($75,700)